I read Crime and Punishment as a teenager and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Raskolnikov’s misadventures are not ‘fun’ but as a psychological exploration of guilt (or lack thereof), it was very interesting.

I like Notes from the Underground and his other short stories (like the Double) even more.

Not by a long shot. War and peace is the classic long read, but outside of Russian literature you also get authors like Victor Hugo and Les Miserables.

Also, depending on your tastes, Charlotte Bronte and other similar period writers were equally bland or significant.

i disagree. i'm reading the brothers karamazov right now and i find it so entertaining. such rich drama and conflict.